Camp selected for new homeland security committee

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, February 12, 2003

Rep. Dave Camps appointment to the new U.S. House Select Committee on Homeland Security is the second "biggest thing thats happened to me since Ive been in Congress," he said today.

The first was his appointment in 1993 to the House Ways and Means Committee, dealing in taxation, the economy, trade, welfare, Medicare and Social Security.

He represents that committee on the new homeland security committee. Hes the only lawmaker from Michigan on the new committee, which has 27 Republicans and 23 Democrats.

The new committee is to coordinate congressional and federal agencies efforts. Its immediate focus is to work with President George W. Bush to get the new Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security running as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Camp, R-Midland, said he was surprised when Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas, R-Calif., called him Thursday and asked if hed consider accepting the appointment.

"Im excited about the new responsibility," Camp said today.

He doesnt know his subcommittee assignments. Key work is done in subcommittes, he said.

Camp said he has "something to contrtibute"  especially experience with issues involving the U.S.-Canadian border and U.S. Customs. He must do considerable studying of other homeland security issues, he said.

He wont be giving up his Ways and Means subcommittee work on health, trade and human resources, he said.

In addition, Camp is chairman of the Corrections Day Advisory Committee, which searches rules that need to be purged or updated.

"This is a great honor and responsibility to be selected to join this important committee," Camp said in a prepared statement. "Protecting the American people is a top priority for this Congress, and I am committed to ensuring that our government is working effectively and efficiently in our fight against terrorism."

Camp, a lawyer and Midland native, is serving his seventh consecutive two-year term in the House.